Decided to go back to school.

[North]

Well, I'm 3 years from hitting my 20 years in the USAF. My primary shooting arm is messed up. Uncle Sam will pay 100% of Tuition. I have decided to get a 4 yr degree. A little about me, 16 year 10 months USAF. 12 years of those are as calibration technician mainly dealing with physical dimensional measurements. 4 years recruiting (sales). Life before the USAF= Farm Boy, 2 summers working at a factory (Polaris) during Community College. I have two Associates degrees: Electronics Systems Tech and Human Resource Management.

I have 3 years as a Quality Inspector/Manager and my AFSC (Air Force Special Code aka MOS) is huge on the Quality process so the "Business Quality Management” seems like a natural for me.

Criminal Justice holds the most interest for me; but I don't think too many agencies are looking to hire 40+year old rookies.

So help a fellow out, what is the civilian market place looking for? These are what the good uncle will pay for and I will get a degree in one of them. If these are not profitable I will go back after I retire and use my GI Bill for something else.

http://www.southwesterncollege.org/undergrad-programs.cfm

All of these majors are offered though Southwestern, but the list looks very similar from the other colleges that I can choose from.

[Anubis]

Not sure if this would interest you but check out http://www.ee.nmt.edu/

NMT also offers a bunch of other engineering degrees and engineers will always be wanted somewhere

[Steve J]

It's a real crap shoot isn't it? Look at the fields that aren't currently laying people off... the ones that are growing if possible.

[Yankee Dog]

I know it is not on your list, but I agree with Anubis, get a degree in an engineering field. That combined with your quality background will write you a pretty good ticket.

Look here for starters.

www.usajobs.com

Yankee Dog

[Gameplayer]

I'm in the same predicament. Although I have been out of the USAF for a while now, I have been approved for Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation. Basically a all expense paid college education. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. Good luck to you.

[Nemo]

+1 for engineering or a related field. If I could I'd do something in the construction management field. Gotta pay for the kid's college first.

Good luck and success!

[Adam B]

my assistant is a 25 year airforce retiree that went to school after he retired and got his BS in Computer Information Systems, I would be happy to give you his contact info if you want to talk to him about anything

[dajarrel]

This probably isn't what you are looking for, but....

You need to find out what you LIKE doing and pursue further education in that field. Any reasonably intellegent individual can get a degree in pretty much any field they want, but is that what you want to do the rest of your working days?

I have a management degree that doesn't help me one bit because my life's work has been in controls and instrumentation. I could go get a job in management somewhere but I would be bored outta my skull. I"m still trying to figure out why I pursued that degree.

Do something you love. You will be happier in the long run. I work everyday with folks who's sole ambition is to make money but absolutely hate what they are doing. Pretty unhappy folks.

Good luck to you. I'm sure you'll find what you like.

dj

[ChuckS]

Mr North,

If you do not want to get away from the sort of work or technoloy you deal with as a zoomie, you may want to consider a field that may be of interest to the contractors that supply your materials and/or equipment now. Most contractors are happy to get folks with experience in the customer community. That sort of work could be technical, managerial or business development. Most of the larger contractors have some educational benifits. The problem with this line of work is that contracts are cyclic and dependent on political hijinks.

Before you write off LEO, contact some agencies to find out what their limits are. Some vets are given some credit for time in service. I have heard that due to some age discrimination suits, a very low entry age is not legal (at least out here). In any case, if you are in good shape and can meet the physical entry requirements, go for it!

It is a little hard right now to identify any career path that may be best just based on economic terms but I sort of doubt that we will run out of criminals any time soon.

Later,

Chuck

Edited December 19, 2008 by ChuckS

[Graham Smith]

Stay away from Computer anything unless you can specialize in a particular area that is in high demand (like ERP). There are thousands of know-nothings out there trying to get jobs based on a semi-worthless "computer" degrees but no practical salable skills.

Everyone is tightening their belts and looking for ways to save money. That means the people in most demand are those that can streamline operations and improve cost containment without sacrificing quality - two diametrically opposed goals.

Someone like you with a background in quality control and engineering should be looking to continue in that area.

_{Disclaimer: Your mileage may vary. Offer not available in all states.}

[Nik Habicht]

I'll throw in an idea that hasn't made it onto your list:

Nursing. There's a serious shortage forecast for the next 20 years or so......

[HSMITH]

Happiness is overrated, go for the cash.

[Adam B]

I'll throw in an idea that hasn't made it onto your list:

Nursing. There's a serious shortage forecast for the next 20 years or so......

My wife is a critical care nurse and she said they are dying for male nurses, that may not be a bad route to go, I had a buddy last year that worked at 2 hospitals for only 5 days a week, sat and sunday for 12 hour shifts and 3 12 hour shifts during the week, he cleared $125K

[Flatland Shooter]

Not sure if this would interest you but check out http://www.ee.nmt.edu/

NMT also offers a bunch of other engineering degrees and engineers will always be wanted somewhere

Engineering degrees from NMT are well respected. The oil bizness has been real good to me and the need for good petroleum engineers usually trumps the age card.

This is a cyclical industry that in the past may have been considered risky. Great times during the boom, bad times during the bust. In the current world, the need for energy now and in the future may have finally changed that for the better.

I received my PE degree from NMT in 1975 and never spent a day unemployed or under worked.

Bill

(In the early 70's I estimate 10% of the students were on the GI bill. And located in Socorro, NM, you might get Gentleman Jim to carpool to a few matches with you.)

[Anubis]

I have every intention of going back to NMT when I'm done with the AF, just not sure if that 'done' is going to be retirement yet

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: If you go into nursing and get your RN you can be a traveling nurse. Work at one hospital for the summer and another for the winter. You should clear 60 grand doing that. If you specialize and get your case management or BN you will get more. My wife is a RN and we have done all of this. She is now working towards her Masters and if she gets that I am going to retire. Just kidding I would look into all the things you might want to do. You will have money coming in from your retirement and they will pay for you to go to school. Maybe a machinist, tool & die maker or ? Thanks, Eric

[3quartertime]

I voted Business admin and it looks like that's the clear favorite.

My opinion is that an undergrad program should be pretty generic unless you want to be specific in a task or role. My BS is in Tech and I wouldn't do that again. It limits the usefulness of the paper. I think you could poll a group of people and a very small percentage of them work in the field they're undergrad is in. I'm in operations management, but I'd still rather have the business admin degree.

From what I'm hearing the biggest projected growth sector is the one your leaving. The government!!!

[d5357]

+1 for engineering, there is a huge infra structure stimulus package being discussed in congress, roads, bridges, etc.

[Flexmoney]

There are extensive publications that forecast job demand. (They don't always line up well with what the colleges are filling classes in.)

[Viggen]

Get an Engineering Degree - something core like ME or EE, with business minors.

Learn to speak German and if you are bright, learn Chinese.

People skills with language ability and an Engineering background is a great springboard although age will go against you at this stage of the game, although the military years will help if you are angeling for another government job.

If you were a young person with potential, I would certainly caution you to avoid government employment.

PE is very cyclical.

All industries go up and down and around the block but with core skills you can move around as needed.

[chp5]

I'll throw in an idea that hasn't made it onto your list:

Nursing. There's a serious shortage forecast for the next 20 years or so......

+1. You can get a job in ANY area of the country, good pay and you can work part time or non-standard hours if you wish.

[JKSNIPER]

+1 on learning Chinese faan gwai

Theres always a need for foreign lang speakers in any field.

Also if you really love the LE field then start looking around. There were ads for Scottsdale, AZ PD in our local sports arena here in NY.

Many give credit toward starting age for military veterans.

Make sure you'll be able to pass PT tests with your disability and be able to qualify with handgun/patrol rifle.

Good luck.

I know how you feel....its not easy changing gears before you planned on changing.

Make lemonade out of the lemons life sends you.

JK

[SharonAnne9x23]

become an RN. I am disabled now, but in 2006, my last full year in Nursing, I made $85,000. That is with 14yr experience but not a specialty. I worked Telemetry, that is, the heart monitor unit and I would float to Cardiac Care Unit. I expected to gross over $100k with overtime in 2007 but I was injured. If you are an RN and are able to work, the ONLY reason you will EVER be out of work is if you want to be. There is over a 2 million nurse shortage nation wide.

Now if you become a Nurse Anesthetist, an Anesthesiologist assistant, you can make over $250k.

The next time I go to the Pain Clinic I will ask the Nurse Practitioner how much she makes. It is a bundle.

[shooterbenedetto]

I'll throw in an idea that hasn't made it onto your list:

Nursing. There's a serious shortage forecast for the next 20 years or so......

My wife is a critical care nurse and she said they are dying for male nurses, that may not be a bad route to go, I had a buddy last year that worked at 2 hospitals for only 5 days a week, sat and sunday for 12 hour shifts and 3 12 hour shifts during the week, he cleared $125K

+1 in medical field!!!

[North]

Thanks for all the replies, great advice. I am however limited to this list for now. The good uncle has arranged for these colleges to accept atleast 60 hours of transfer credit, which means I will only need 60 ish hours to earn my BS. To get a Engineering or Medical Degree I would have to start over, and I don't have that kind of time Work, Family, etc.

To be a good SNCO these days, you must set the example and continue your education; so I will knock out the quickest Degree that is useful. I will be able to do these entirely online, so if/when I get deployed again I can still work on them. The classes run in 6 weeks terms. Two 3-hour classes a term, gets my degree in a little over a year.